BB officers' council demands full autonomy of central bank, places 7 demands

The Bangladesh Bank Officers' Welfare Council has demanded full autonomy of the central bank, calling for amendments and revisions to the Bangladesh Bank Order to strengthen its independence and effectiveness.

The demand was announced at a press conference held today (5 February) at the BB headquarters, where the council placed a total of seven demands.

Key among the demands are reforms to the Bank Companies Act, 1991, and other relevant laws and regulations to ensure good governance in the banking and financial sector.

The council also called for resolving the ongoing stalemate in the recruitment and promotion of Bangladesh Bank officials and for cancelling the appointment of advisers, consultants and officials on a contractual basis without proper evaluation and transparent recruitment processes.

In addition, the council demanded institutional protection for officials who face harassment while performing their duties. It also urged the governor to devote adequate time and attention to issues related to Bangladesh Bank's policies and institutional interests, and to refrain from making inconsistent or arbitrary statements in the media on central banking policies and practices.

Speaking at the press conference, the council's General Secretary Golam Mostafa Shrabon said a memorandum had been submitted in August 2024 to Finance Adviser Saleh Uddin Ahmed, seeking measures to ensure the central bank's autonomy.

He said the governor was also approached on 5 November 2025 with a request to take effective steps toward ensuring autonomy, and again on 23 December 2025 to urge the cancellation of unnecessary contractual appointments at the central bank.